Health authorities who directly employ cleaning and dietary support workers – and provide better wages, benefits and working conditions – do not have these recruitment and retention problems.

Most Compass Group employees earn $12.59 an hour, compared to $16 to $17 an hour plus benefits for those employed by the health authority directly in places like Campbell River, Kelowna and Prince George.

Unionized hotel housekeeping staff in Victoria earn between $14.65 and $17.56 an hour.

“Government has a choice – they can support a sustainable solution that includes living wages for workers or they can continue to prop up a failed privatization experiment and protect Compass’ profits, at the expense of vulnerable foreign workers and patient care,” Darcy said.